Sharie DeCastro named among OECS Top 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs

Reproduced under courtesy of BVI Platinum

Wednesday, August 16, 2017 — Daughter of the soil and former Miss British Virgin Islands, Sharie DeCastro, has been named as one of the winners in the 30 under 30 entrepreneur campaign, powered by the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

The campaign, which was launched over five months ago, and saw over 100 applications, saw DeCastro being recognized for her business: 'Write to read'

DeCastro received her certification of recognition on July 31, from Dr. Marcia Potter, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture. Both attended a ceremony hosted for the winners via teleconferencing.

The campaign was one that sought to recognize and encourage entrepreneurship among young people, as well as to identify young entrepreneurs who are making strides in the OECS.

An ecstatic DeCastro told BVI Platinum News that she is grateful for the recognition:

“I am delighted that through my business, Write To Read, I have been able to achieve this feat. It is truly an honor to have been selected and awarded by the OECS as one of the top 30 youth entrepreneurs under the age of 30 in the region. I am humbled to be one of the faces of youth development and entrepreneurship in the OECS. Most importantly, I am proud to be the BVI ambassador in this regional initiative.”

Write To Read is a company founded by Ms. DeCastro, which seeks to assist individuals achieve academic success through literacy.

“Our mission is building a nation of readers,” she told BVI Platinum News.

With this win, DeCastro will receive support from the OECS Competitive Business Unit to assist with her business’ professional and business development, technical assistance in sourcing markets, and financial aid.

“I look forward to the support that this initiative will give to help take my business, Write To Read, to the next level,” she told BVI Platinum News.

She added, that with this recognition, she intends to further motivate her students to dream big.

“At the age of 23, I ventured out into my own business to create impact in the area of literacy in the BVI. I am humbled, that three years later, I have been recognized locally and now regionally for my efforts in Education, Youth Development and Entrepreneurship. This award challenges me to rise from a local to a regional mindset, which will stretch my business potential and expand my reach and target audience. I will use this achievement as proof to show my students that if you dream big dreams, you will grow into them. I have seen tremendous improvement in my students' academic development throughout the years and I am interested in meeting new students who are struggling with reading, comprehension and writing, to help them to achieve fluency in English and operate at or above their grade level.”

She also hopes to introduce more initiatives to promote the importance of reading among children in the BVI.

About The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an International Organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean. The OECS came into being on June 18th 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty agreeing to cooperate with each other while promoting unity and solidarity among its Members. The Treaty became known as the Treaty of Basseterre, so named in honour of the capital city of St. Kitts and Nevis where it was signed. The OECS today, currently has ten members, spread across the Eastern Caribbean comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Martinique.